Ramses the Great's Battle of Kadesh: The Truth Behind the Propaganda

In Episode 73, Lucas and Luna peel back the layers of propaganda to examine the Battle of Kadesh, Ramses II's most famous military engagement. They explore what actually happened in 1274 BCE when Ramses led his army against the Hittite king Muwatalli II near the Orontes River. Lucas explains how Ramses turned a near-disaster into a propaganda victory, using inscriptions and reliefs at temples like the Ramesseum and Abu Simbel to broadcast a triumphant narrative that often contradicts archaeological and Hittite records. The conversation covers the two main Egyptian sources—the Bulletin and the Poem of Pentaur—and what they reveal and conceal. They also discuss the Hittite perspective from the archives at Hattusa, including a cuneiform letter that provides a different account. Lucas and Luna consider the tactical failures, the role of the elite regiment called the Ne'arin, and how the battle led to the world's first known peace treaty. This episode offers a nuanced look at a pivotal clash that shaped the geopolitics of the ancient Near East. #RamsesII #BattleOfKadesh #Hittites #MuwatalliII #Kadesh #AncientEgypt #Propaganda #OrontesRiver #Ramesseum #AbuSimbel #PoemOfPentaur #Ne'arin #PeaceTreaty #NewKingdom #19thDynasty #Hattusa #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo